This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: unique colour pattern in adult specimens consisting of flank and dorsum with longitudinal rows of interconnected yellowish white vermiculate diffuse marks; distinctive projection on the anterior portion of the medial margin of the sesamoid supraorbital present, connected by thin ligamentous tissue to a dorsal projection on the articulatory shell of the autopalatine for the lateral ethmoid; pectoral-fin rays 6; well-developed pelvic fins; interopercular odontodes 29-32; jaw teeth 41-43 on the premaxilla; 39-46 on the dentary; 14 or 15 rib; opercular odontodes; minute pectoral-fin filament, its length less than 5% of the pectoral-fin length; procurrent caudal-fin rays 18 or 19 dorsal and 12 or 13 ventral; vertebrae 39 or 40 (Ref. 137708).